Related Media

Overview

Unarguably, Indiana is a largely ignored part of railroad magazines, books, videos and other media. For Northeast Indiana it is even harder to find related materials. Never fear though. There are some people who have managed to capture this area's railroad history on film or in writing. (Also there are a few of us still doing it!) With this page I hope to help others find related railroad media to the Ft. Wayne and surrounding areas. This of course is nowhere near being a complete list of available materials out there and is just a sample of some of my own personal favorites.

Videos

Tape Name, Company	Description
Broadway Limited Revelation Video - c.1995	A chronological look at the Pennsylvania Railroad's finest passenger train in all eras. Included are some 1970's shots through Fort Wayne and a look at the last Amtrak train out of Lima, Ohio showing the sign coming down and the depot being locked up for the last time.
Conrail Cab Ride - Toledo to Elkhart and return CP 426 Productions - c.1998	This video is a riot and I really enjoy watching it. Filmed by a Conrail conductor during the Fall of 1996 on the Conrail Chicago Line, ride on PIBR from Toledo to Elkhart in an SD60I and then return on ELTO in the early morning in a GP40-2. There is also a brief tour of Elkhart Yard. Great Fall colors and stories. Difficult video to find, but occasionally at train shows.
The Capitol Limited Part 2 (Tape 20B) Railroad Video Productions - c.1985	Ride in the cab of Amtrak #41, The Broadway Limited, from Fort Wayne to just east of Valparaiso on the Fort Wayne Line in a revered F40PH. This was taken during Conrail's single-tracking stage of the Fort Wayne Line in Indiana. The video starts out downtown right near the GE plant and then past Junction Tower, who controlled much of the line in the area at that time. Warsaw Tower is also still standing in this video. There are interesting discussions in the cab along the way as well. Listen for when Walter talks about taping Miami Vice! Filmed in August 1985.
Erie Lackawanna - West End Revelation Video - c.1991	Take a look at some very rare footage taken of the EL in Indiana and Ohio during the last few years of its operation. Containing 8mm films from Paul Geiger, this is one of my favorite videos. You'll see mainline freights passing through Ohio City, Decatur, Markle, Huntington, Kingsland, and Laketon.
The Erie Lackawanna Railroad Green Frog Productions - c. 1992	A 2-volume set, this is another fine collection of Emery Gulash's 16mm films. In this video there is footage taken in Huntington, Kouts, Kingsland, and Lima during the late 60's and early 70's. It is available on DVD, as well.
EL Encore!! Revelation Video - c.1991	At the end of this video there is some live sound 8mm film shot by Clark McClure during EL's last weekend. You'll see Alco Centuries passing Ohio City at speed (very cool!) and E8's pulling a freight train alongside US224 west of Kingsland. Also follow an EL train with Milwaukee Road power from Delong to Huntington with live sound as well.
EL Legacy Revelation Video - c.1996	A survey of the entire Erie Lackawanna system in both past and present times. Take a look at what has become of the property after 20 years past. There are some great 8mm films taken in the mid-1960's in Huntington.
EL Legacy - Update #1 Revelation Video - c.1999	An update of the above video, showing what became of the EL property since 1996. Footage shot by yours truly includes: the right-of-way between Huntington and Monterey, RJ Corman in Elgin-Spencerville, and CSX in Decatur.
From The Ashes Revelation Video - c.1992	This tape deals with the beginnings of Conrail and shows 8mm films taken in the early years of the Big Blue. You'll see Erie Lackawanna power pulling a train through Van Wert, Ohio and several shots around Piqua Yd. in Fort Wayne. See Erie Lackawanna E8's pulling a freight train past the Baker Street Station.
Indiana Hi-Rail Cab Ride Keith Lehman & Associates - c. 1994	Ride in an Alco C424 on the Clover Leaf line between Bluffton and Delphos and back. This is a 3-tape set and is filmed over the course of two days in October 1994. Today most of this trackage has been torn up east of Craigville.
Nickel Plate Vol. 1 Herron Rail Video - c.1996	Donald Krofta filmed the Berkshires in their final days of service on the NKP in Northwest Ohio and Northeast Indiana using 16mm color film. Some locations include Claypool, Continental, Fort Wayne, and Argos. Available at the Allen County Public Library.
Singing Wire Vol.2 - The Indiana Railroad Herron Rail Video - c.1991	Fortunately a few photographers had the foresight to record Indiana's interurban system before it completely disappeared in the 1940's. Extremely rare color and b/w footage taken in Fort Wayne, Bluffton, Anderson, Muncie, Indianapolis and other places. Available at the Allen County Public Library.

Books

Book Name, Company, Author	Description
Erie Lackawanna - Vol.1 The West End Morning Sun Books - c.1991 by Larry De Young	Plenty of great color photos taken in Indiana on the line, mostly in the latter years of operation. Some locations include: Bolivar, Laketon, Huntington, Kingsland, and Decatur.
Fort Wayne and Wabash Valley Trolleys Central Electric Railfans' Association (CERA) - c.1983 by George K. Bradley	Rare book that describes both streetcar and interurban trolleys in Fort Wayne. Nice maps show where everything used to run in and around the city. Available at the Allen County Public Library.
Ghost Railroads of Indiana Indiana University Press - c.1998 by Elmer G. Sulzer	This book explains short-lived Indiana railroads that disappeared in the early part of the 20th Century. One of the more amazing stories relating to the area is that of the Cincinnati, Bluffton, & Chicago Railroad whose Huntington to Portland line was actually built on part of the Erie Railroad's right-of-way. Available at the Allen County Public Library.
Indiana Railroad - The Magic Interurban Central Electric Railfans' Association (CERA) - c.1991 by George K. Bradley	Extremely detailed book about how the Indiana Railroad formed and what its operations were like in the state. Check out the detailed description of a derailment on the Northern Division south of Garrett in 1936. Available at the Allen County Public Library.
Nickel Plate Color Photography of Willis A. McCaleb Morning Sun Books - c.1996 by Bruce Dicken and Jim Semon	In this book there are several color photos taken in downtown Fort Wayne not long after the elevation project was completed in the 1950s. There is also a photo of Delphos Yard and one of the NKP station in Decatur, IN. Available at the Allen County Public Library.
Pennsy Diesel Years - Vols. 5 & 6 Morning Sun Books - c.1993 by Robert J. Yanosey	The majority of this series of books focuses on the eastern part of the Pennsylvania system, however in volume 5 there are a couple of photos taken in Fort Wayne and in volume 6 there are several photos taken of the mainline between Chicago and Crestline.
Pennsylvania Railroad Color Pictorial - Volume 3 Four Ways West Publications - c. 2002 by David R. Sweeltand	This book progresses from west to east on the Pittsburgh main starting at Chicago and has several photos taken at Baker St. station in the Pennsy era. There are also 2 pictures taken on the South Bend to Logansport line.
The Pennsylvania Railroad in Indiana Indiana University Press - c.1999 by William J. Watt	Fascinating history about how the Pennsylvania Railroad came to be such a big player in the Hoosier State. There are some photos taken in Fort Wayne as well as plenty of local historical facts. Available at the Allen County Public Library.
Railroads of Indiana Indiana University Press - c. 1997 by Richard Simons and Francis Parker	This book has lots and lots of factual information for the area. If you are looking for things such as dates, merger trees, and famous Indiana railroaders this is the book to have. Just about all the lines through Fort Wayne are described including the short-lived Findlay, Fort Wayne & Western. Available at the Allen County Public Library.

Magazine Articles

Article Title, Magazine, Author	Description
Automotive Artery Trains Magazine, January 1996, pp.42-55 by Bill Stephens	Interesting and very thorough article that describes Norfolk Southern's operation of the ex-Wabash mainline in 1996. Included is a "snapshot map" of trains on the entire line.
The Clover Leaf and Its Split Personality Classic Trains, Fall 2000, pp.60-69 by Tony Koester	A nice article describing the interesting Toledo, St. Louis, & Western Railroad, which passed through Delphos, Decatur, and Bluffton. Lots of historical facts and information included, as well as some great color and b/w photos taken at various spots on the line, including one of the Delphos depot.
Extra Board Diary Trains Magazine, November 1974, pp.43-52 by John R. Crosby	A Penn Central engineer based out of Fort Wayne describes what it was like working extra trains on the Fort Wayne Line west and east of Fort Wayne in 1974. One of my favorite articles.
Hot Times on Norfolk Southern's Nickel Plate line Trains Magazine, October 1997, pp.38-48 by Bill Stephens	Similar to the "Automotive Artery" article in the January 1996 issue, this describes Norfolk Southern's operation of the NKP line in 1997. There is another "snapshot map" of trains on the system between Buffalo and Chicago.
Life and death of Erie Lackawanna Trains Magazine, February 1992, pp.32-39 by H. Roger Grant	Just as the article title states, this describes the EL's beginning and endings. There are color photos taken in Monterey and Crown Point as well as another one along the wide right-of-way (maybe in Delong?).
Michigan Southern: "The Old Road" Railfan & Railroad, March 1997, pp.40-50 By Thomas Hillebrant	Article written on the current Michigan Southern. Describes current operations on the Old Road and a bit of history. Also there is a page on the Little River Railroad. This was written prior to the Michigan Southern's purchase of the GR&I and E&W trackage.
More Nature Trails: the Wabash 'Punkin Vine' Trains Magazine, June 2000, pp.14-15 by Ed King	Regular Trains Magazine columnist Ed King talks about operating the Wabash Gary District through Northern Indiana, much of which is gone today.
Phantom Railroad Passenger Train Journal, August 1981, pp.26-33 by John Uckley	Survey of the Erie Lackawanna right-of-way in Indiana as it appeared in the early 1980's. Although there are a few mislabeled photos (Uniondale instead of Tocsin, etc.) this is a great article and has several b/w photos taken of the property in Kingsland, Huntington, Decatur, Laketon, Newton, and Wilders, Indiana.

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